Soo…what exactly IS Red Ambush?
Sometimes, margaritas will make you overindulge on chips and queso.
And sometimes, they’ll make you start your own advertising agency.
When Melody Tarver and Erika Gilbrech set out to brainstorm campaign ideas for a client one fateful evening in 2010, they never thought their happy hour meetup would turn into a brainstorm session about how to evolve a fruitful partnership into an actual business. But, like a good margarita, some things are better blended. With two parts creativity, one part bold thinking, and a lil’ bit of salty attitude, Red Ambush was born, and they never looked back. As they honed their vision, they realized their recipe for perfection wasn’t quite complete; Shana Fields added strategic tang to round out the perfect team.
Happy hour or happy decade? Red Ambush is undeniable proof that, with just the right mix, the most potent dreams can involve a salted rim, an empty chip basket, and a limitless imagination.
Meet the Boss Ladies
Melody Tarver
Principal + Creative Director + Designer/Art Director
As a lifelong yoga aficionado with an uncanny eye for creating a unique aesthetic for brands, Melody proves the theory of mind over matter on a daily basis—unless, of course, puffy tacos are involved.
With 25+ years experience and over 2 dozen industry awards under her belt (including features in Graphis and Archive), she brings a strong design ethic to all her work. She has helped build memorable campaigns and identities for large, Fortune 500 brands like Dr Pepper and RadioShack, as well as for smaller, independent brands like Natreve Wellness, Daltile, Ellington Fans, and Wholly Guacamole.
Her diversity as a seasoned Creative Director is evident in the many print campaigns, branding, editorial, tradeshow graphics, packaging, collateral, catalogs, and digital materials she has seen through from start to finish along every touchpoint of the design process.
Bonus for Red Ambush: her extensive experience with set design, interior styling, prop styling, and photographers is an integral piece in our arsenal of skill sets, and has been featured in widely-read national magazines.
Her love for Red Ambush is only eclipsed by her alarmingly large collection of pillows, vintage glass, and small dogs.
Erika Gilbrech
Principal + Creative Director + Copywriter…
….by day. Superhero by night. Logging over 17 years in the ad biz, this werd nerd has mind-reading powers when it comes to anticipating her clients’ needs, the power of flight to take creative to new heights, and the superhuman ability to demolish a bowl of queso in 5 minutes flat.
Erika’s broad brand experience has spanned everything from potato chips (Doritos, Lay’s, Funyuns, Tostitos, Cheetos, Stacy’s…et al) to cleaning products (Clorox, Lemi Shine) to cat litter (Fresh Step) to gas stations (7-Eleven, Circle K) to shampoo (Pantene, Head & Shoulders), earning her the unofficial title among her inner circle of “CPG Queen.” Along the way, she’s earned some of the industry’s top awards and honors, including a Cannes Silver Lion and a Super Bowl feature in #MusebyClio. Red Ambush is the inevitable result of her abiding passion for creating “oh shiiiit!” level work and doing it in style with her fellow ride-or-die Ambushers.
And just in case you’re curious (you are), her favorite word from Jabberwocky is “vorpal.”
Shana Fields
Principal + Strategist + Nerd + Ninja
Shana (she/her/hers) currently holds the job title as Chief Resident Nerd, ahem, Strategist. What she does is most famously explained by wise man Vanilla Ice: “if there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it.” She credits the many hats she has worn throughout her 15+ years in the biz to being a creative problem solver and strategic thinker.
Shana will dig deep to immerse herself in your brand, category, audience, and culture while asking a lot of questions along the way to uncover the big “why.” This effort has led to strategies used to launch or refresh brands, inspire ad campaigns, or architect digital and social strategies, from start-ups to Fortune 500 brands. Notably, she gained a rep for her CPG experience with brands that catered to mamas…and the making of future baby mamas. Say what? Think diverse brands like Cheerios, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Wholly Guacamole—aaaand Johnson & Johnson’s former brand, K-Y. She hearts her ever-evolving journey as an Ambusher and hopes your brand can stop, collaborate, and listen to a whole new edition of its journey upward.
Ready for Red Ambush?
Our Values
Our core values are rooted in bringing the best out of each other by being human and treating one another as such. And that no matter what, margaritas & queso are always a good idea.
We’re Human.
Being human means we are real and authentic; perfectly imperfect. And, we never sugarcoat the truth. We embrace our strengths AND weaknesses, because when we “fail forward,” we learn from mistakes, which can be our greatest teachers.
Have a Heart.
We aren’t title-conscious, award-seekers, or cocky. We all worked hard to get to where we are now and we’re humble enough to know there’s still so much more we can learn and grow from. We want to lift each other up and make space for one another. And, let’s listen to some badass Heart while doing so. We suggest “Barracuda” or “These Dreams,” depending on your mood.
Fear Is A Four-Letter Word.
We are fearless when it comes to venturing into uncharted territory to stretch ourselves or the creative exploration for your brand.
Play Together.
We believe in building relationships. That means we will be collaborative, not order takers. We want to dig deep with the hope of creating something great together. We also want you to feel like your vision, goals, pain points, and challenges were seen and heard, and pushed where needed. And while we work together, we hope to make it fun and exciting. Did we mention margaritas and queso?
Laugh Together Till We (Good) Cry.
We take your business and brand seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. After all, we’re human! Sometimes we laugh at ourselves, laugh at a situation, or will try to make you laugh, but never at the expense of others.
